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Points are no problem

Dogs want to avoid shootout with prolific Broncos

Posted: Thursday, September 01, 2005

By Marc Weiszermarc.weiszer@onlineathens.com

A new bigger, better and flashier scoreboard will be on display Saturday at Sanford Stadium for No. 13 Georgia's season-opening football game. Just in time for 18th-ranked Boise State, which is accustomed to keeping the digits rolling.

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The Broncos scored 55 or more points in five games last season and averaged 48.9, with its season-low point total coming in a 28-27 victory over BYU.

"If it's a shootout, that's a bad thing for us," Georgia safety Greg Blue said. "We're not a shootout team. We're a beat you down team, a beat you slowly team."

First, a little perspective might be in order. The Broncos rang up a combined 190 points against Idaho, Hawaii and San Jose State, among the worst 15 defenses in NCAA I-A football last season statistically.

Just two of Boise State's opponents finished in the top 20 in total defense last year: Louisville and Oregon State, which Boise State beat 53-34.

"They've played some good teams, but they haven't played a Georgia defense like our defense, fast and physical," quarterback D.J. Shockley said. "I really don't expect them to put up so many points like they do against other teams on our defense."

Boise State lost a 44-40 shootout to Louisville in the Liberty Bowl for its only loss last season.

If the Broncos manage that many points against the Bulldogs, it would be the most scored by a nonconference visiting team since Maryland won 43-7 in 1951. Texas Tech in 1993 and Maryland in 1952 scored 37.

"Regardless of who you are playing, if you score 49 points a game you are doing things right," defensive tackle Ray Gant said. "Louisville is a great team and they barely lost to them."

Georgia was eighth in the nation in total defense (288.9 yards per game) and ninth in points allowed (16.5 per game) but lost David Pollack, Thomas Davis and Odell Thurman, who were among the first 50 players picked in the NFL Draft.

"Our defense prides itself on playing good defense and not giving up too many points," Shockley said. "If it does get into a shootout, we're going to have to do that then."

Georgia averaged 27.9 points per game last season and was held to 20 or less points in five games. The Bulldogs had offensive outbursts against Kentucky (62), Georgia Southern (48) and LSU (45).

"We can try to slow it down, but if we don't put any points on the board, it doesn't do us any good," coach Mark Richt said. "We're going to have to score some points to stay in this thing. If we don't, they could run away with it."

That could be overstatement from a coach talking up an opponent.

Or maybe not. Boise State won by an average of 49-26 last season.

"The ultimate goal is to win, and it's a team concept," defensive coordinator Willie Martinez said.

Senior cornerback DeMario Minter said Georgia will take any win it can get, even if that means a 38-35 decision.

"Martinez would be happy because a win is a win," Minter said, "but that next Monday he's going to tell us what we did wrong."